Foreign innovators look to make their mark on Sweden’s healthcare sector
With a population of 10.5 million and one of Europe’s highest levels of healthcare spending, Sweden represents the Nordic’s largest healthcare market. As a country of early adopters and a leader in the digital transformation of healthcare, it’s an attractive market for healthtech companies looking to scale and make an impact on patients.
On 7–9 April, around 30 innovative companies from 10 different European countries took part in our first-ever "Swedish Healthtech Bootcamp" - a three-day event designed for businesses looking to enter Sweden’s healthcare market.
“Our aim is to give participants the information, tools, and connections they need to fast-track their entry into the Swedish market - with Gothenburg as their launchpad. We wanted it to be an immersive experience, so they could get a real sense of the city, the innovation and healthcare environments, and the business climate first-hand,” says Iris Öhrn, project manager for the Swedish Healthtech Bootcamp and investment advisor for life science at Business Region Göteborg.
The companies’ products and services include, for example, a VR solution for surgical training, remote monitoring devices for respiratory and cardiac conditions, new biomarkers for cancer treatment and an IoT solution for brain health monitoring.
The bootcamp was three days filled with seminars, site visits and networking opportunities. It was arranged by Business Region Göteborg in collaboration with Sahlgrenska University Hospital, GoCo Health Innovation City and Sahlgrenska Science Park. It involved many companies and stakeholders from West Sweden’s life science and healthcare sectors.
Strong engagement from private and public actors
The programme was centered around Gothenburg’s two main hubs for healthcare and life science: Medicinareberget and GoCo Health Innovation City.
It featured seminars on topics such as the regional innovation ecosystem and the healthcare market, how to sell to the public sector and the support available for starting a business here.
The programme also included site visits to Sahlgrenska University Hospital, the Digital Health Arena at GoCo, Norlandia, a private elderly care facility, and Mölnlycke Healthcare’s new global headquarter. There were also plenty of opportunities for networking.
“The engagement from local companies and stakeholders has been incredible. They’ve shown first-hand the open and collaborative community we have here. It’s a big asset for companies based in the region,” says Iris Öhrn.
She says the bootcamp has been a win-win for everyone involved.
“There’s been a great deal of knowledge exchange and connection building. We hope it will lead to new collaborations, new innovative companies joining our ecosystem, and new solutions that improve patient care and make healthcare more efficient,” says Iris Öhrn.
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